United States Attorney Announces Election Officer for the District of Arizona

PHOENIX, Ariz. - United States Attorney Gary M. Restaino announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Sean Lokey will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department's nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Lokey has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for the District of Arizona, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District's handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington. Lokey has served in this role since the 2020 election cycle.

United States Attorney Restaino stated: "It takes a village to ensure that every eligible voter can cast a ballot easily and efficiently, without interference or discrimination, and with confidence their vote will be counted. This Office and our federal partners have worked collaboratively with Arizona state and local law enforcement, state and local elections officials, and other first responders of democracy like All Voting is Local, the Arizona State Bar and the Arizona Prosecuting Attorney's Advisory Council, preparing for a smooth and safe election. We thank the many civic leaders who have sat with us in educational panels, tabletop exercises, and security discussions."

The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department's longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).

"Democracy demands action to protect voters' rights, and to disrupt the efforts of those individuals and entities who seek to deny those rights," said U.S. Attorney Restaino. "In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Lokey will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 602-514-7516."

In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public by phone at 623-466-1999 or online at https://tips.fbi.gov/.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.

"Ensuring free and fair elections takes a commitment from all Americans," noted United States Attorney Restaino. "It is important that those who have knowledge about barriers to voting rights or of specific instances of fraud by individual voters make that information available to the Department of Justice."

Please note, however, that in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, you should call 911 immediately before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-139_Arizona-General-Election

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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